


Playing With Fire

by Vicky Ocean (VickyOcean)



Series: Scenes From A Peculiar Affair [10]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: New Republic Era - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-04
Updated: 2013-07-14
Packaged: 2017-12-17 15:03:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/868892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VickyOcean/pseuds/Vicky%20Ocean
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Karrde and Shada celebrate Fete Week on Coruscant.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Shada had always found Talon Karrde to be an attractive man, but never more so than when he was coolly expressing his dominance over a situation. It was rarely overt or heavy handed. Karrde was never obvious. It was seldom physical, although he could more than hold his own in any sort of physical confrontation. He usually preferred to have loyal and deadly people like her at his side.

Since joining his organization Shada had gotten to witness such a scene many times. Even after all this time she couldn't control the thrill that ran through her when she saw the realization come to his opponents that they had been deftly maneuvered and Karrde was in complete control of the situation. She had to work very hard to keep her expression bland when she saw Borsk Fey'lya's infuriated look in particular.

"I think that concludes our business," Karrde told the assembled New Republic High Councilors, his tone polite but brooking no further argument.

President Gavrisom did not look pleased at all, but he said courteously, "Thank you for your report, Captain Karrde."

Karrde stood and extended his hand to Shada. She placed her hand in his and met his eyes. His pale blue eyes darkened as he recognized the desire in hers. She rose to her feet and slid her arm through his.

"Good day." He inclined his head to the councilors and they strode through the doors of the council chambers without a look back. H'sishi, who was waiting outside, fell in behind them. The three of them drew their fair share of curious looks as they made their way through the Imperial Palace, but everyone stepped out of their way.

Dankin was waiting at the airspeeder. "Everything go okay, Chief?"

"Very well indeed." Karrde allowed a small triumphant smile.

"Back to the hotel?"

Karrde cast a sideward glance at Shada. She kept her expression nonchalant, but her fingers tightened on his arm. "Yes, please," he told Dankin. "Then you and H'sishi are both free to enjoy the Fete Week celebrations as you please."

"Thanks, Chief."

Shada slid into the backseat of the speeder and Karrde followed close behind her, his hand settling on her thigh. Before long his fingers had slipped between the fabric of the kick-pleat of her long skirt and found skin. She glared at him, trying to unobtrusively push his hand away. She didn't want to engage in that sort of game with two members of their crew sitting just in front of them. He gave her that arrogant smirk of his and persisted. She finally gave up trying to stop his exploring hand, not wanting to draw Dankin and H'sishi's attention. He slid the fabric of her skirt higher, his deft fingers teasing sensual patterns on her skin. His hand moved higher and higher and it was all she could do to keep her breathing regular and her expression bland. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from moaning as she turned her head and tried to focus her attention on the traffic surrounding them. She didn't dare look at him.

Thankfully the trip to the hotel was short. Karrde pulled his hand from her skirt smoothing it back into place. She took a deep breath as the door to the speeder opened. Karrde handed her out and tucked her hand into the crook of his arm. The air seemed to crackle with sexual tension between them as they walked sedately to their room.

The door to their suite was barely closed before Karrde had her pushed up against the wall, his hot possessive mouth covering hers. His hands pulled the zenji needles from her hair, casting them carelessly on the floor. She pushed his coat from his shoulders and began attacking the fastenings of his vest. Then one of his hands slid up into her loose hair and roughly pulled her head back holding her firmly in place so he could thoroughly devour her mouth as her hands involuntarily clenched the fabric of his shirt.

Shada loved it when he was like this.

* * *

Karrde liked to watch her style her hair almost as much as he liked to take all her hard work apart. She glanced up at the mirror of her vanity and saw his eyes on her from where he was still sprawled on the bed, propped up against the headboard and sipping a glass of Whyren's.

"If you don't get out of that bed and start getting dressed, I'm going to get back in with you," she told him inserting the final zenji needle into her coiffure.

"You really will do anything to get out of Leia's party, won't you?"

"I'm not sure getting in bed with you is exactly classified as 'anything'," she replied dryly. "Unless, of course, you have something particularly unusual in mind."

He grinned at that idea and swung his legs over the side of the bed. "No such luck at the moment. Perhaps I'll think of something later." He pulled on his robe and went over to her. He slid his hands underneath the neck of her dressing gown, massaging her shoulders and neck. "You're the one that wanted to be respectable," he reminded her. "What could be more respectable than a Fete party at the home of Princess Leia Organa Solo?"

"Not respectable. Legitimate." She leaned her head back to look up at him. "You know we're not like them." She and Karrde would never be great heroes of the New Republic and she never felt as if she quite belonged in such a crowd no matter how welcoming and friendly they were.

"No, but they are our friends." He leaned down and kissed her. She closed her eyes enjoying his lazy kiss. "It's Fete Week. Time to be with friends and family. Besides, this isn't a political party. We can relax and enjoy it." His hands began rubbing her shoulders again.

She opened a drawer on the vanity and pulled out her cosmetic brushes. "We didn't have Fete Week on Emberlene," she said changing the subject, thinking he would be sidetracked by his curiosity. She knew Karrde had didn't quite understand why she felt out of place. He always seemed comfortable in his surroundings no matter if it was a dive cantina or the New Republic High Council Chambers.

"No?" he didn't sound particularly interested or distracted.

She shook her head. His hands left her shoulders and he reached into the pocket of his robe and pulled out something sparkling. He lifted the necklace over her head and fastened the chain. He pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Happy Fete, my darling."

She reached up and touched the pendant. The goldwork looked of Nubian design with a large ruby at the center. "It's beautiful. Thank you." She was much better at accepting his extravagant gifts than she used to be. She had learned it gave him great pleasure to give her beautiful things. He pulled out a pair of matching ruby drop earrings and fastened them to her ears.

"What else you got in that pocket?" she asked with an amused laugh.

"That's it. Were you looking for something else?"

"No. Thank you, Talon." She leaned back again and pulled him down to her, kissing him. "Go look in the closet."

"What?"

"Go look in the closet," she repeated.

He went over to the closet and opened the door. He stood there for a moment staring at their clothes. "What am I looking for?"

"You'll know when you see it."

Karrde reached in pulling out black nerf hide jacket and ran his hand down the sleeve. She knew he was looking for the hole that should have been there.

"You had my jacket fixed?" he asked, looking thoroughly astonished.

"I had it copied," she stood and walked over to him. "You had that jacket on the first time I saw you and almost every time I met you for 10 years."

"It was my favorite."

"I thought so. I always wondered what had happened to it when you stopped wearing it."

"Getting shot in the arm kind of ruined it," he told her.

"And yet you still kept it in your closet in the _Wild Karrde_ for years after that," she pointed out.

"It _was_ my favorite."

She took it from his hands and held it for him as he slipped his arms through the sleeves. He examined himself in the mirror. "Thank you so much, Shada. It's nice to have it back."

"I'm glad you like it." She slipped her arms around him and she rested her chin on his shoulder. "You're a hard man to buy for."

"I'm easy. As long it's from you, I'll always treasure it." He turned in her arms and held her tightly against him. She breathed in the scent of him mixed with the new leather. "Did you really notice I had the same jacket on all those years?"

She leaned back so she could meet his eyes. "You did catch my attention, Talon." She reached out and stroked his cheek.

"As you did mine." He turned his head and kissed her palm.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

"Captain Karrde, Mistress Shada, so good to see you again. I trust you've been well." Threepio greeted them at the door to the Solos' apartment.

"Very well. Thank you, Threepio. How have you been?" Shada asked and Threepio started an enthusiastic recounting of recent events.

As Karrde reached around her neck to unclasp her cloak, he whispered in her ear, "You've made a real friend in that droid." He pulled the cloak from her shoulders and she heard his breath catch. "That's a new dress."

"I just got it." She turned around to face him and the red ombre smoke-silk swirled seductively about her legs. She had intended to save it for a special occasion, something with perhaps just the two of them, but she felt like toying with him tonight. A little payback for his actions in the airspeeder earlier in the day. She'd already had her cloak on by the time he had finished dressing so he hadn't actually seen it before they left the hotel.

"Did you really have to wear it tonight?"

"It matches my new jewelry. I thought you would like it." She gave him her best wide eyed innocent look. She had to admit that this dress was perhaps a little more daring than was wholly appropriate to such a gathering. She turned away from him, giving him a view of her almost completely bare back as she started down the entry hall.

He grabbed her arm, stopping her. "I do like it." He leaned in to whisper in her ear, "I like it so much all I want to do is take it off of you."

"We can leave," she whispered back.

"No, we can't," he sighed deeply. "You're a cruel woman, my darling."

She tossed a triumphant smile over her shoulder at him and walked away down the hall to the conversation area. He stared after her, his eyes never leaving her in that extraordinary gown.

"Captain Karrde, may I take your cloaks?" Theepio asked and Karrde got the impression it wasn't the first time the droid had asked that question. "Are you quite alright, sir?"

"Yes, of course." Karrde distractedly handed over their cloaks and made his way down the hall. He spotted Shada on the other side of the room talking to Mirax Horn and Iella Antilles.

Mara immediately came up to him, grabbing his arm. "You two need to cool it. There are children present you know," she teased him.

"What? Oh, Mara. How are you?" he asked pulling his attention away from Shada to his former second.

Mara laughed. "Aves was right. You two are hilarious." She steered him towards her husband, Luke, who was chatting with Solo and Calrissian.

"I'm so glad we amuse you," he told her irritably as they joined the group.

Solo thrust a drink into Karrde's hand. "Here, it looks like you could use this."

"Thank you." He took a long sip and savored the burn of the fine Correllian whiskey.

"Shada's looking particularly lovely tonight," Calrissian told him and Karrde followed his gaze across the room to Shada in that scandalous dress.

He had to stop himself from saying something biting and possessive. He settled for, "Yes, she is."

"Do you know where she got that gown? Tedra would look amazing in it."

"Tendra may already have one," Karrde informed him. "I believe they went shopping together right after we arrived on Coruscant."

Lando's eyes tracked to his wife sitting on a sofa conversing with Winter, no doubt imagining how Tendra would look in that dress.

"I heard you caused quite the uproar at the High Council meeting today," Skywalker said changing the subject. TKarrde thought that was a very tactful way to describe the meeting.

"That's one council meeting I'm sorry I missed," Solo laughed. "Leia said Fey'lya's got half the Council ready to send you to a penal colony if they can figure out something to charge you with."

"Let them try," Karrde said defiantly.

"Wouldn't do any good anyway," Mara said. "Because I guarantee he'd be running the place inside six months."

"If that," Lando put in.

"Y'know," Solo said. "Sometimes I wonder why someone doesn't do the galaxy a favor and just off that damned Bothan."

At that moment, Leia came up and gave Han an exasperated look. "I did not just hear my husband talk about assassinating a high councilor."

"I didn't say I'd do it," he protested. "But should someone do it I'd certainly look the other way."

Leia just shook her head. "You're hopeless, Han." Then she turned to Karrde, "I'm so happy you and Shada could join us."

"It's our pleasure, Leia. Thank you for inviting us."

She took his arm and led away from the group. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate that crate of Alderaanian wine you sent over this afternoon, but it was really far too extravagant."

"Nonsense," he replied. "Shada and I merely wanted to wish you a Happy Fete. I hope you will enjoy it. Just don't let Solo run through it like that Corellian swill of his."

"Hey," Solo called out. "I heard that. No more of my booze for you, Karrde."

* * *

"Shada, that's a hell of a dress," Mirax said with a laugh as Shada walked up to her and Iella by the bar. "Are you trying to steal all our husbands away from us?"

Shada smiled and poured herself a drink from the bar. "No, it's just a bit of petty revenge." She cast a glance over her shoulder at Karrde who was still gawking at her despite Mara dragging him over to Skywalker, Solo, and Calrissian.

"I think it's working. I'm not sure I've ever seen the unshakable Talon Karrde quite that distracted."

"Good. He deserves it."

"I'll let you borrow my shawl if you want." Iella told her with teasing grin holding out the wrap matching her dress. "You may get a little chilly."

"Not with the scorching looks Karrde's sending her," Tendra said as she joined the group. "I thought you were saving this one for a special occasion."

"Payback is always a special occasion," Shada replied.

Tendra clinked her glass with Shada's. "It is indeed."

* * *

Shada met up with Karrde again at the buffet table. He leaned in and whispered, "I have a few unusual ideas now. We could leave and try them out."

"Oh, no. I don't want to leave now," she smiled over her shoulder at him, still enjoying having the upper hand with him in this little game. "I'm having a wonderful time."

"Of course you are," he growled.

Shada just laughed and added some braised bruallki to his plate as well as her own before walking toward an unoccupied sofa. He followed her and sat down next to her.

"You must promise you will only wear this dress just for me from now on."

"Must I?" She raised an eyebrow at his choice of words.

"Unless you want me to cause a scene," he amended.

"That might be something to see," she challenged him. "The discrete and circumspect Captain Karrde unable to control himself in public."

He leaned in to whisper in her ear, "Is exhibitionism an unrevealed fantasy of yours?"

"Actually, no. You'd probably find yourself in need of a bacta tank if you tried anything like that." She pointed her fork at him in a way that could be construed as threatening.

He just grinned at her. "I'll take that under advisement then."

* * *

Karrde had gone to fetch them fresh drinks and Shada sat in a chair against the wall at the edge of the group, taking a break from socializing. It had been a long day and she was tired. She was glad they had nothing planned tomorrow. They could just relax before attending more of the Fete celebrations later in the week.

The Solo twins and Valin Horn were walking up to her and she eyed them warily. She didn't have much experience with children much less Force sensitive ones and she felt more than a little awkward with them. "Hello," she said offering the children a friendly smile.

Over their heads she caught sight of Karrde who had been heading back to her but stopped to talk to the Calrissians and Wedge Antilles when he caught sight of her with the children.

Jaina studied her in a way that made her little uncomfortable. "Are you a princess like my mom?"

"No, I-"

"She's a smuggler like my mom," Valin cut in.

"Well, that's not-"

"You look more like a princess more than a smuggler." Jacen glanced over his shoulder at his father and then back at Shada as if comparing them.

Jaina's eyes were on Shada's ruby necklace and she looked more than a little envious. "That's a pretty necklace."

"Thank you."

"Did Captain Karrde give it to you for Fete?"

"Yes, he did."

Valin nodded sagely. "Mom says he dotes on you. Whatever that means," he shrugged.

"Did she now?" Shada asked, wondering what else Mirax might have said.

"Are you going to marry Captain Karrde?" Jacen asked. "Dad says you won't just to prove him wrong. He says you're both very contrary."

"Your father told you this?"

The boy shook his head. "No, we overheard him talking to Aunt Mara."

"Aunt Mara. Really?" She was going to have to have a little talk with both Mara and Mirax.

"Don't you want to marry Captain Karrde?" Jaina asked turning around to look at Karrde still avoiding them. "He's very dashing."

"Why don't you marry him then?" Shada asked a touch impatiently.

"He's too old for me."

"I see."

"He's very nice too," Valin put in. "He always gives Grandpa interesting new music for me. I like him."

"It's very complicated," she told them. "You'll understand when you're older."

That had apparently been the exact right thing to say for them to leave her alone. They all made disgusted faces at her and wandered off. Karrde seemed to think it safe to return to her side and offered her a drink before sitting on the arm of her chair.

"Coward," she told him irritably.

He laughed and a warm hand slid down her bare back. She leaned into his side a little.

"You might want to expand your information network to include children. It's remarkable what they hear."

"Anything interesting?" he inquired.

"You and I seem to be quite the object of gossip."

"Is that so? What are they saying about us?" She could tell he was intrigued.

"Mirax says you dote on me."

"She's right. I do." He lifted her hand and kissed it.

"Jaina thinks you're dashing."

He laughed at that. "Do _you_ think I'm dashing?"

She smiled up at him. "You do have a certain amount of dash." And it was true.

He seemed pleased by her answer. "What else did they say?"

"Solo thinks you and I won't marry just to spite him."

Karrde snorted. "Solo always thinks everything is about him."

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Shada slipped a blaster in her coat pocket and gave herself a final once over in the mirror. She had styled her hair in an elaborate arrangement of braids that would stay secure even on the windy balcony where they would be watching the parade. She wore her new coat of black cutwork leather lined with crimson silk and the ruby earrings Karrde had given her last night. She thought she looked suitably festive for the Fete Parade.

She went out to the living room of their suite where Karrde was waiting for her. He was pacing back and forth in front of the window speaking on his comlink. He smiled at her when he saw her and held up a finger indicating he would be done in a moment or two as he continued his conversation.

She sat down on the sofa to wait and poured herself a cup of caf from the carafe on the table and nibbled at the fruit on the breakfast tray as she watched him. Instead of the suit he usually wore to political functions he had on the black leather jacket she had given him over a dark blue shirt, black pants with a matching stripe down the leg, and his blaster strapped to his leg. He looked like the rakishly handsome smuggler she had first met all those years ago on Trogan, however, with a bit more gray in his hair. As much as she enjoyed the impressive figure he cut in formal clothes, she did like seeing him like this. It made him look powerful in a completely different way. Dangerous.

Karrde finished his call, coming over to refill his cup of caf and sitting beside Shada. "Why are you starring at me like that?" he asked a little warily.

"Can't I admire the way my man looks? You ogle me quite often."

"Ogle?" he looked offended. "I'm insulted, I'm much too subtle to ogle."

"You weren't at Leia's party last night," she reminded him.

"Well, that was a special circumstance. You looked even more alluring than usual. If I take you out to dinner to Galatina tonight will you wear that dress for me?"

"Will you be able to make it through dinner?" she challenged with a teasing smile.

"Dinner, yes. But don't expect dancing." He drew her close to him and whispered, "I won't be able to have you that close to me without ravaging you."

"You didn't last night," Shada pointed out. They had stayed late at the Solos and had come home too tired to do anything other than collapse into sleep.

"Oh, my darling, you're insatiable," he grinned and carressed her cheek. "I must get some rest you know. I do have duties other than pleasing you."

"Do you?"

"Occasionally."

"Well, if your other duties will permit, I would be honored to have dinner with you tonight."

"Thank you."

* * *

Karrde had insisted that they go to the parade since Shada had never seen it before. He was determined she experience everything Fete Week on Coruscant had to offer. H'sishi would be coming along with them too. She'd never been to Coruscant during Fete Week either and was curious about it all. Karrde never failed to encourage his people's curiosity and interest in educating themselves.

Shada was just glad to have the extra backup in what was sure to be an immense crowd. Especially considering how much Karrde had angered several of the councilors yesterday, she wasn't sure someone wouldn't try to take him out. Perhaps that was what was with his wardrobe choice rather than mere sentimentality. Karrde wanted to look dangerous. To show them he was still the same man that had been the most powerful smuggling chief in the galaxy.

It was pretty much the same crowd on the balcony that had been at the party the night before. The Solos and their children. Mara and Skywalker. Winter Celchu. The Horns and their children. Iella Antilles and her children. The Calrissians. She supposed Wedge Antilles and Tycho Celchu as members of New Republic military must be part of the parade.

Shada, Karrde, and H'sishi found a place at the balcony rail beside Mara and Skywalker. Karrde made sure Shada was in front of him as if he was ensuring she had a good view, but she knew it had nothing to do with being gentlemanly and everything to do with his fear of heights. His hands rested on her hips and they tightened and pulled her back against him every time she leaned over the rail.

She may have leaned over more than strictly necessary to view the action below.

Mara of course noticed. "You know, Karrde, with the way you're holding onto Shada, if she falls, you'll go right with her."

"What? Won't you Jedi utilize the chance to show off and rescue us?"

"Not before you fall twelve stories and nearly go splat. Last second saves are so much more dramatic. I doubt you'd enjoy it though."

Mara laughed at the irritated look he shot her. When Mara's attention was drawn away by her husband, Shada slipped her hands over Karrde's, twining their fingers together. He leaned in and pressed a brief kiss to her neck.

"What do you think, H'sishi?" Karrde asked.

[It's amazing, Cheiftan.]

"Yes, it rather is. Considering the Rebellion wasn't that long ago."

"Over twenty years," Shada reminded him.

"Not that long in the grand scheme of things. The Old Republic spanned thousands of years."

"Do you think the New Republic will last that long?"

Shada felt him shrug. "Hard to say."

"How does this compare to Imperial Fete celebrations, Mara?" she asked.

"The mood of the crowd was different then. There was an undercurrent of fear even among the celebrating."

"I would imagine so."

Despite herself Shada found she got caught up in the spectacle as much as H'sishi. It was an impressive display.

"Daddy! Daddy!" Syal Antilles yelled. Shada looked up at the sky where a group of X-wings were approaching for a fly over and performing some impressive maneuvers.

* * *

H'sishi wanted to stay after the parade and listen to the speeches. Karrde surprised Shada by suggesting they go on ahead to the Galactic Fair and not stay. When she questioned him, he told her, "It's not like they won't be recording it. We can always review it later."

Shada would have preferred to have H'sishi with them. Before she could express that sentiment Mara told them, "We're going down to the Galactic Fair, too. Luke's about to die to see the exhibits."

Skywalker smiled and shrugged. "Even after all these years, it's still so exciting to see what's happening across the galaxy."

Shada often forgot that the great Jedi Master got his start as a farmboy from the middle of nowhere and that there was nothing remotely like the Galactic Fair on Tattooine.

"You can join us if you want," Mara offered. "Or would you prefer some alone time?"

Shada glared at her, then smiled when she realized this would provide her an opportunity to talk to Mara about gossip.

* * *

Shada watched as Karrde, Skywalker, and Mara were examining the new prototype fighter at the Incom exhibit. She kept her eyes on Karrde and the crowd milling about them. She still wasn't convinced someone wouldn't take a potshot at him.

Mara broke away and came over to her. "Talon Karrde is one of the least helpless people I know. You can relax and enjoy yourself, you know."

"I know. It's just so ingrained I can't help myself. Besides this really isn't my thing." Shada was a decent pilot but she didn't love flying and ships the way the three of them did.

"Yeah, I may have to abandon Luke here," Mara sighed watching her husband deep in discussion with Karrde about the fighter. "Sometimes I wonder how much happier he would be if he'd just been able to be a pilot."

"Well, I'd wager we wouldn't be all hanging out at the _Imperial_ Fair together," Shada pointed out.

"That's true. He'd probably be dead by now if he were with the Rebels without the Force."

"What cheerful thought."

Mara shrugged.

Shada's gaze involuntarily shifted back to Karrde and a thought struck her. "I am glad we have a few minutes alone. I wanted to have a talk with you about something, _Aunt Mara_."

"I don't know if I like the sound of that," she replied warily.

"You shouldn't. Especially when you and Solo seem to have quite the habit of gossiping about Karrde and I."

"I do not gossip," Mara protested.

"I have it on very good authority that you do. It's very unbecoming of a Jedi."

"Solo's the gossip. You know how smugglers are."

Shada did know, but she told her, "I don't care. You know we're trying to be discrete."

"I can't help that everyone thinks your relationship is just plain odd."

"Odd?" Shada scoffed. "I didn't start it off by wanting to kill Karrde."

"No, but you were awfully angry at him when you first joined the organization. I kept waiting to hear from Aves that you'd disemboweled Karrde."

"I wasn't exactly angry at Karrde. Just angry in general at where my life had taken me. And you were right, he is a good man."

"And now he's your man," Mara pointed out with a grin.

"Mara…"

"Look, no one could be happier for the both of you than me, but you two _are_ strange. You've got this weird little mutual admiration society going on. I don't think I've ever encountered two people more pleased with each other, but you keep declaring to everyone that it's nothing but a business relationship. It confuses people. They can't help but talk."

"Let them be confused," Shada declared. "It's no ones business but ours."

"If it were only that simple. Just imagine all the gossip that went on about Luke and I."

Shada was glad that she and Karrde weren't as high profile as Mara and Luke. She didn't know if she could bear such scrutiny.

* * *

That evening they went to Restaurant Galatina as planned and Shada wore the red smoke-silk dress as Karrde had asked. He'd even danced with her and while he wasn't quite the perfect gentleman he normally was in public, he didn't cause a scene either. All in all it had been a lovely night so far.

Karrde was staring at her from across the table with a thoughtful expression on his face. She'd caught that same look several times today. "Okay, Talon. Spill it."

"Pardon?"

"Whatever's been running on a loop through that head of yours all day."

Karrde looked down at his plate, carefully cutting off a piece of cake and eating it as he gathered his thoughts. Finally, he looked up at her and asked, "Do you want to get married?"

Shada gave a startled laugh. "You shouldn't let Solo goad you."

"I'm serious."

"Oh," was all she could say. Marriage was one of the things they never seriously talked about. Joked about occasionally, but never discussed. For years they'd been committed to each other in every way other than being formally joined. "Honestly, I haven't ever thought much about it. As a Mistryl, marriage had never been part of my future. Have you thought of it before?"

"Occasionally," he admitted, his fingers nervously tapped the table.

"Then why haven't you brought it up before?"

"I didn't want to scare you away."

She nodded. She hadn't always felt as comfortable and secure in their relationship as she did now. She had different fears now. "Do you remember why I left Mazzic?"

"Because you became a target yourself and," he gave her a rueful smile. "You would become a huge target as Talon Karrrde's wife."

"I don't want to be your weakness, Talon."

He reached out and grasped her hand. "You are my strength, Shada."

She squeezed his hand back. "I don't want to be used against you. I don't warrant much attention now because they think I'm either your bodyguard or your mistress." She saw him grimace at that word. "But if any of your enemies knew how much you cared…"

"I know. And I understand. I just wanted to put it out there."

"Maybe one day," she smiled.

He returned her smile and lifted her hand and pressed a kiss to it. "One day."

The End


End file.
